Seamus Coleman is ready to curb his attacking instinct if he is thrown in at the deep end for Ireland's World Cup showdown with Germany.

The 23-year-old Everton player is one of the men in contention to be handed a start in Friday night's qualifier at the Aviva Stadium in the midst of an injury crisis which is forcing manager Giovanni Trapattoni to asses his options.

Coleman said: "If required. I will be ready for selection and ready to give my all if picked."

Injuries to Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger mean John O'Shea is likely to move from right-back into central defence, and that would leave a vacancy.

Coleman is currently playing at right-back for his club having lined up as a wide midfielder earlier in his career, and he sees his long-term future lying in defence.

He faces stiff competition from Fulham's Stephen Kelly and Hull's Paul McShane with Trapattoni looking for solidity rather than another attacking outlet, but the youngster insists he can adapt.

He added: "Obviously, it might be a game for defending first and then attack. That is a big part of my game, attacking, but in games like this, you have to take a step back and see how the game goes.

"It just depends how the game is going. Even in club football, you can't just run forward whenever you feel like it, it depends how the game is going.

"Especially here with Ireland, it's a bit different for the full-backs. It's just something you have got to adapt to because every manager is different.

"If you want to play in the team, you have got to adapt and do what you're told."